Physical Layer Aware Network Architecture for the Future Internet

In this article, physical layer awareness inaccess, core, and metro networks is addressed,and a Physical Layer Aware Network Architec-ture Framework for the Future Internet is pre-sented and discussed, as proposed within theframework of the European ICT Project4WARD. Current limitations and shortcomingsof the Internet architecture are driving researchtrends at a global scale toward a novel, secure,and flexible architecture. This Future Internetarchitecture must allow for the co-existence andcooperation of multiple networks on commonplatforms, through the virtualization of networkresources. Possible solutions embrace a fullrange of technologies, from fiber backbones towireless access networks. The virtualization ofphysical networking resources will enhance thepossibility of handling different profiles, whileproviding the impression of mutual isolation.This abstraction strategy implies the use of wellelaborated mechanisms in order to deal withchannel impairments and requirements, in bothwireless (access) and optical (core) environ-ments.